How would you describe how Luke felt right now?
Something like the first snow finally clearing, sake warming quietly inside, and the moment you push the door open, pure white moonlight spills across everything in front of you. A small unplaceable joy settled somewhere in his chest and he could only shake his head at it.
"Don't blame me if you can't get up tomorrow morning," Luke said, resigned.
Cynthia smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. I'll sleep once I clear this level."
Luke watched her profile for a while from the sofa before finally standing up. "I'll go set up your room."
"The sofa's fine for me."
Are you seriously trying to instruct me in my own house right now?
Cynthia looked up in mild surprise when Luke came out carrying a pillow. His apartment was a small one-bedroom and giving up his own room for the night meant the couch was his for the duration.
"Sheets are changed. Duvet cover and pillowcase are a separate set and freshly washed."
Luke produced a calculator from somewhere. "The setup's a bit basic but I'll bill it like a family guesthouse rate. Seems fair enough."
Cynthia nodded along without quite meaning to. Ah. So this is a paid arrangement. That tracks. She'd felt a little hesitant about staying over in the first place, though Plants vs. Zombies had proven far too addictive to walk away from. Hearing there'd be a charge for the room actually put her more at ease.
While the game sat idle on its results screen Cynthia tucked her hair back and leaned toward Luke. "What are you working out?"
"The bill."
"Hand me the paper. I'll calculate it myself."
"...Hm?" This time it was Luke's turn to look surprised. He passed the notepad and pen over and Cynthia started writing, muttering figures under her breath as she went.
"Pokéblock, seven thousand. Lodging, four hundred thirty. Food, two hundred eighty—"
Within moments the running total had climbed into a genuinely staggering figure.
Luke's eyelid twitched. Wait, I don't think I actually spent that much. Did I? Four hundred thirty for a couch? Was this supposed to be a five-star hotel now? A bowl of buckwheat noodles running a hundred fifty dollars did track with market rate, sure, but even with money to spare that felt like an unnecessary waste.
Catching Luke's stare, Cynthia turned and raised an eyebrow. "Too low?"
Luke stared, speechless for a long beat. "...That's, uh. Roughly the going rate, yeah."
"I don't actually know standard pricing for Pokéblock at this quality," Cynthia said, frowning slightly. "I'll have someone confirm the real number once we're back."
Luke was practically tearing up on the inside. Is she genuinely a rich woman, or an actual angel sent to save my finances?
______________________________
Late into the night, the bathroom light clicked on and the sound of running water carried through the apartment.
Lucario's eyes narrowed and its Aura ability kept Luke pinned firmly in place.
Luke laughed coldly to himself. You think blocking my line of sight is enough to stop Teacher Luke? Just the sound of a shower running is already worth three bowls of rice on its own.
Of course that was purely bravado. In reality Lucario would probably end him on the spot for so much as thinking it out loud.
Exhaustion finally caught up and Luke drifted into a deep sleep. Half-conscious and still a little rattled, Eevee climbed into his arms at some point. Luke gently rubbed her head, pulled her close, leaned back into the sofa cushions, and slept through the rest of the night undisturbed.
Nothing else happened.
______________________________
At dawn Luke woke to his phone ringing. He didn't dare answer grumpy since the caller ID read Red.
"Teacher Luke, are you heading to the Master League in Metro City?"
"Yeah," Luke mumbled, still half asleep. "Got a few free tickets even."
"I mentioned you to Lance," Red said, sounding pleased. "He's genuinely interested. If it works out he might ask you for some pointers first."
"Pointers? You want ME to give Lance pointers—"
Before he could finish the sentence Luke was suddenly, fully awake. All traces of sleep vanished instantly.
Wait. What. Based on how that sounded—
Is Lance actually challenging ME to a match?
I haven't even left the beginner zone and I'm about to face an Elite Four member directly?!
This is either incredible or a disaster.
Luke swallowed hard. "Red, I'm not actually a Trainer—"
"I know that already," Red said, laughing warmly. "Breeders can hold their own too. Blue and Lance have history as rivals, you know."
"I—" Luke wasn't sure whether to even finish that sentence.
"Great, it's settled then!" Red hung up, already muttering to himself excitedly. "Can't wait to see what tactic Teacher Luke pulls out against Lance."
Luke set the phone down looking genuinely lost. What do I do if I've suddenly decided I don't want to go to this event anymore? If Haunter actually squared off against Lance in a real match it might get eliminated instantly. Ten Haunters together wouldn't even make a proper meal for one of Lance's Gyarados.
While Luke sat there frozen the bedroom door opened.
Cynthia stood in the doorway wearing loose pink pajamas and bunny slippers, her blonde hair a tousled mess from sleep, mid-yawn.
Then something seemed to register. A rare blush spread across her cheeks. The door shut again with a soft thud.
Luke: ...
Did I just witness something incredible?
A beam of red light shot out from a Poké Ball a second later. Lucario had released itself and delivered a precise chop to the back of Luke's neck without hesitation.
Everything went dark.
______________________________
When Luke came to he found himself somewhere unfamiliar. Well, actually just his own couch.
"Strange ceiling," he groaned.
"You're awake?"
Cynthia had already changed back into her usual black trench coat, hair falling smooth over her shoulders like a waterfall, sipping black tea with practiced elegance.
"Found the tea bags in your cupboard. Want some?"
"...No thanks." Luke stared up at the ceiling. Wait, what was I just thinking about? Something about a friendly match with Lance? He scratched his head. "Did I forget something important?"
With Aura in play even temporary memory gaps were apparently on the table. Lucario, out of what it presumably considered kindness, quietly sipped its own cup of tea and said nothing.
______________________________
Despite pulling an all-nighter until 2 AM, Cynthia looked fully energized, a captivating smile on her lips.
"Teacher Luke, are you coming to watch the match later?" she asked.
Something briefly flickered across Luke's face as the vague memory of a Lance challenge tried to surface again. But this was Cynthia's actual championship match, after all.
He gritted his teeth. "I'm in."
He doesn't even know what I look like. With a crowd that size there's no way Lance singles me out.
Worst case I just watch and leave quietly, Luke told himself. Absolutely not walking into some newbie-crushing exhibition match. No thank you.
"Come with me, then." Cynthia nodded. "I've got a private box with an invitation. Better view of everything."
Watching Master-tier matches on video was one thing but experiencing it live was a completely different animal. Luke had no interest in becoming a Trainer himself but he still carried the same energy as any casual sports fan catching a live game. There was just something to it.
And a VIP box, he realized, probably meant a much clearer view of things — including, potentially, actual blood. The sheer brutality on display might be enough to scare Haunter and Eevee off training altogether.
Luke nodded. "Doesn't matter if it's an official invite or not, I just want to sit wherever family and friends usually sit."
Cynthia's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"The family and friends section, then."
"Let's go."
Cynthia smiled softly, tucked her Poké Ball into the pouch at her waist, and her eyes sharpened with focus.